Addressee: HM Courts and Tribunals Service; Ministry of Justice · Source location: Page 9, paragraph 17, point a
HMCTS must maintain a strong grip on progress to maximise the benefits from its substantial investment in reform. HMCTS should strengthen its portfolio and programme monitoring before the end of interim state 3 to provide early warning when things are going off track; be clear about the impact on the critical path; and allow it to take decisive corrective action. Reporting needs to give a more holistic, high-level view of progress towards the next key interim state (or end state) and use a broader range of indicators that integrate both financial and performance information.
Response position:
Accepted
Delivery:
Implemented
· 01/2022
· Confirmed by NAO
Addressee: HM Courts and Tribunals Service · Source location: Page 9, paragraph 17, point b
HMCTS should improve how it measures the benefits of reform, more clearly demonstrating where savings are coming from. We previously recommended that HMCTS should not bank savings before new systems and working practices were fully embedded. There will be more headcount reductions in the next stage of reform, making this more pressing. HMCTS needs to:
Response position:
Accepted
Delivery:
No longer relevant
· Confirmed by NAO
Addressee: HM Courts and Tribunals Service · Source location: Page 9, paragraph 17, point b, first bullet point
• provide assurance that headcount reductions are linked to operational improvements;
Response position:
Accepted
Delivery:
No longer relevant
· Confirmed by NAO
Addressee: HM Courts and Tribunals Service · Source location: Page 9, paragraph 17, point b, second bullet point
• take account of changes in demand; and
Response position:
Accepted
Delivery:
No longer relevant
· Confirmed by NAO
Addressee: HM Courts and Tribunals Service · Source location: Page 9, paragraph 17, point b, third bullet point
• ensure cuts do not come at the expense of service quality.
Response position:
Accepted
Delivery:
No longer relevant
· Confirmed by NAO
Addressee: HM Courts and Tribunals Service · Source location: Page 9, paragraph 17, point c, first bullet point
HMCTS should better demonstrate how it is monitoring the impact of its reforms on users of the justice system. It should:
• publish the operational data it uses to monitor the impact of court closures; and
Response position:
Accepted
Delivery:
Implemented
· 12/2021
· Confirmed by NAO
Addressee: HM Courts and Tribunals Service · Source location: Page 9, paragraph 17, point c, second bullet point
• put in place structures to ensure learning about how services are impacting those using them is captured and fed into the development of new services.
Response position:
Accepted
Delivery:
Implemented
· 12/2021
· Confirmed by NAO
Addressee: HM Courts and Tribunals Service · Source location: Page 9, paragraph 17, point d, first bullet point
HMCTS should provide more clarity on how, in practice, it will meet the commitments set out in its Fit for the Future response. Specifically, before considering future closures it should:
• improve transparency of the rationale for future closure proposals;
Response position:
Accepted
Delivery:
No longer relevant
· Confirmed by NAO
Addressee: HM Courts and Tribunals Service · Source location: Page 9, paragraph 17, point d, second bullet point
• set out what other sources of information it will use to assess ‘access to justice’ alongside travel time; and
Response position:
Accepted
Delivery:
No longer relevant
· Confirmed by NAO
Addressee: HM Courts and Tribunals Service · Source location: Page 9, paragraph 17, point d, third bullet point
• provide evidence that reform has reduced demand for physical hearings.
Response position:
Accepted
Delivery:
No longer relevant
· Confirmed by NAO